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Staff

The Disaster Management Unit was fully established at Port of Spain Corporation in the year 2009 with its main objective to make the City of Port of Spain self sufficient in disaster preparedness.

Functions

To provide for a comprehensive emergency management programme that meets the need of those who may have been or might be affected by an emergency or major disaster within the city boundaries.

Disaster Management Co-ordinator

To perform managerial work in recording, designing; planning; co-ordinating and evaluation all activities related to disaster management relevant to Port of Spain Corporation in collaborating with other stake holders

Field Officers

To collate; analyse and make recommendations on information relating to all phases of disaster management within Port of Spain.

Communication Technician

To develop and maintain an effective communication program.

Organizational Structure

The Disaster Management Unit is a department of Port of Spain Corporation and is headed by the Chief Executive Officer.

If egress becomes necessary due to severe flooding, persons who are indoors will
shelter-in-place, preferably on high ground, monitor radio and television broadcasts, until it is deemed safe by the Incident Commander for them to leave
the building. This applies to all workers and students.

The Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) and all Ministries
will make the necessary provisions for shelter-in-place operations that exceed the
stipulated school and work hours respectively.

The transient population requiring public transport to leave the City will be
encouraged to make their way to one of the loading bays or transport hubs identified
below.

Those persons leaving the city via private vehicles will follow the directions provided below.

The outline of the egress routes are noted below

Loading Bay

Woodford Square (Primary)

Victoria Square (Alternative)

Transport Hubs

West Hub – Movie Towne (Primary)

West Hub – Hasely Crawford Stadium (Alternative)

East Hub – VMCOTT (Primary)

East Hub – EWMSC (Alternative)

North Hub – Wild Flowers Park (Primary)

North Hub – King George V Park (Alternative)

Exit Port of Spain utilising designated egress routes.
Persons entering or leaving Port of Spain to the west will use Tragarete Road
through St James. They can also use Long Circular Road through St James.
Persons entering or leaving Port of Spain to the east will use the Lady Young Road
or Belmont Circular Road.
Alternatively, the Santa Cruz Road can also be used.
No private vehicle will be allowed south of Duke Street.

As much as is reasonably possible, persons travelling to go to communities on the
outskirts of Port of Spain, that is, Belmont, St Clair, St James, Cascade, Maraval
Woodbrook, Newtown and East Port of Spain are encouraged to walk if possible.

After the egress of the transient population and the ALL CLEAR instruction is
given, persons sheltering-in-place will be given the option to leave the city, if they so
desire.
At this point the transportation system within the city will return to its normal
operations.

Persons who are unable to get to the hubs, designated emergency vehicles will stop
at pre-determined locations along the emergency routes outlined.

Special Considerations
Traffic lights along these routes will blink red, yellow and green simultaneously to indicate its use as an emergency route. However, emergency vehicles must still approach with caution.

Private vehicles wishing to enter Port of Spain via the Churchill Roosevelt Highway MUST exit at the Churchill Roosevelt Highway Churchill Roosevelt Highway/Uriah Butler Highway junction and continue their journey along the Eastern Main Road to Morvant Junction. The same holds for persons leaving south Trinidad going into Port of Spain.

The St. James and St. Ann’s taxis will stop at Park Street return to north Port of Spain via Henry Street. Passengers will then walk to Woodford Square.

Co-ordinators will be stationed at each hub and bus stop.

All emergency routes are to be used by emergency vehicles ONLY.

The east bound lane of the Beetham Highway, is designated for emergency vehicles only.

Directed west along the Beetham Highway, the left lane should be designated for the ingress of emergency response vehicles only.

If there is severe flooding in Port of Spain, the following instructions should be adhered to:-

ALL workers and school children would shelter in place. That is, stay indoors, if possible, move to an upper floor and monitor radio and television broadcast.

Persons who live in Belmont; East Dry River; Cascade; St. Anns; Woodbrook would be advised to proceed on foot.

Persons who live outside of Port of Spain and need to return to their homes are to proceed to either – Hart Street (near Woodford Square); Movie Towne or Wild Flower Park (near Ministry of Agriculture) where they would be transported by bus.

No vehicular traffic would be allowed “SOUTH” of Duke Street.
Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service would be on hand to assist.

Persons wishing to leave the City in their vehicle would be instructed of the route by the Police.

NB: All other streets will retain their normal orientation with respect to traffic
flow.
All interactions and traffic control points would be manned by the T&T
Police Service and Defence Force.